Hartford contemplates getting rid of curbside recycling program

The recycling program in one Upper Valley town could be eliminated. The Hartford Selectboard is weighing whether or not to continue funding the curbside recycling program, which has some concerned. If the program is discontinued everyone in the town would be responsible for their own recyclables. The funding of the program was scheduled to end in January.

It was supposed to be replaced by a new state law requiring haulers to collect recyclables in addition to trash, but the law has been delayed until 2015. Hartford select board members say there are two options, to stop funding the program until the new law is enacted, or to continue paying for curbside recycling which would cost tax payers and extra 150 thousand dollars. Selectboard member F.X. Flinn says he wants to keep the program going.

“We should continue the program because the only reason we made the decision we did was because we thought there was going to be something else to replace it.” He later said, “The town of Hartford clearly has enough money to continue it.”

But Selectman Ken Parker disagrees, and says the town has worked hard to conserve money. “I’m not-at-all interested in diving into that fund to fund the second half of the curbside recycling program.”

Selectboard Chairman Chuck Wooster says he's somewhere in the middle on the issue. He says he's definitely pro-recycling, but isn't sure if spending money on the program the is a good way to conserve the towns funds.

The Selectboard will meet again at the end of the month to go over recycling options for the town.

UPPER VALLEY TOWN COULD BE ELIMINATED. THE HARTFORD SELECTBOARD IS WEIGHING WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE FUNDING THE CURBSIDE RECYCLYING PROGRAM, WHICH HAS SOME CONCERNED. HERE'S WPTZ'S ASHLEY ALLEN. F.X Flinn - SELECTMAN if curbside recycling is discontinued then each individual family will have to come up with their own way to deal with the recycling. FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM WAS SCHEDULED TO END IN JANUARY. IT WAS SUPOSSED TO BE REPLACED BY A NEW STATE LAW REQUIRING HAULERS TO COLLECT RECYCLEABLES IN ADDITION TO TRASH - BUT THAT'S BEEN DELAYED. F.X Flinn - Hartford Selectman it was postponed to take effect January 1st of 2015 instead of January 1st of 2014. HARTFORD SELECT BOARD MEMBERS SAY THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS - TO STOP FUNDING THE PROGRAM UNTIL THE NEW LAW IS ENACTED IN 2015 - OR TO CONTINUE PAYING FOR CURBSIDE RECYCLING. BUT THAT WOULD COST TAX PAYERS AND EXTRA 150- THOUSAND DOLLARS. F. X Flinn - Hartford Selectman my opinion is we should continue the program because the only reason we made the decision we did was because we thought there was going to be something else to replace it - not nothing else. The town of hartford clearly has the money to continue it. BUT SELCTMAN KEN PARKER DISAGREES - AND SAYS THE TOWN HAS WORKED HARD TO CONSERVE MONEY. Ken Parker - Hartford Selectman im not at all interested in diving into that fund to fund the second half of the curbside recycling program S/U Ashley Allen Selectboard chairman Chuck Wooster says he's somewhere in the middle on the issue - he says he's definitely pro recycling - but isn't sure if funding the program is a good way to conserve the towns funds. ONE CURBSIDE PICKUP DRIVER SAID HE'S CONCERNED PEOPLE WILL RECYCLE LESS WITHOUT THE PROGRAM. curbside truck driver - a lot of them said if they have to bring it themselves they will throw it right in the garbage can - they wont bring it. THE SELECTBOARD WILL MEET AGAIN AT THE END OF THE MONTH TO GO OVER RECYCLYING OPTIONS FOR THE TOWN. IN HARTFORD - ASHLEY ALLEN NEWSCHANNEL 5 A SELF- PROCLAIMED TERRORIST WALKS INTO A BUSINESS WITH 2 SUSPICIOUS BACKPACKS .... A SUSPICIOUS FIRE BREAKS OUT AT A PROCLAIMED TERRORIST